1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of compacting, without danger of ignition and/or explosion, metal waste that is liable to ignite and/or explode when compacted in a conventional manner.
Said method is advantageously implemented during treatment of irradiated metal waste, in particular containing zirconium and/or magnesium and/or alloys of said metals. The method is described in greater detail below with reference to this nuclear context, however that does not imply any limitation on its implementation in other contexts. The person skilled in the art will readily understand on reading the text below that the principle of the invention, i.e. internal blanketing, is transposable to numerous fields.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention proposes a solution to the general problem of compacting waste of pyrophoric tendency.
Such waste is generated, in particular, during retreatment of irradiated nuclear fuel elements. Thus, for example, the shearing of said elements generates both fuel in solution and pieces of tube or "hulls", generally made of zircalloy. At present, said hulls are washed and placed in drums. Said drums are then embedded in cement without being reduced in volume. The same applies to storing other materials, and in particular other structural elements for said fuels, such as grids and endpieces, to storing magnesium. The invention seeks to optimize the final storage volume; to reduce the size of said drums.
Compacting such drums nevertheless poses a problem in that firstly said drums contain oxygen and fines, and secondly compacting makes use of energy that is liable to cause said fines to react violently. There therefore exists a danger of such drums exploding and/or igniting during compacting. The invention proposes reducing and controlling, or even eliminating this danger.